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Fireball Sounds
Regarding George Zay's message on "Fireball Sounds":
Supposedly in certain instances the human body can act as a radio receiver.
I believe it sometimes has to do with galvanio-electric properties of teeth
filling alloys. I'm not sure what frequencies the human body can attune to
but perhaps it depends more on signal strength.
Also metal objects like gutters and fencing can sometimes serve as radio
reception devices.
On a related note: I attempted one radio meteor experiment last year at
ELF-VLF radio frequencies (1 to 10 kHz) but the experiment was thwarted due
to unexpected extreme electro-magnetic disturbance of bats at the observing
site. This experiment was suggested in the March 1992 Sky and Telescope
article entitled RADIO WAVES FROM A METEOR?, p. 329.
My girlfriend and I were visually observing alpha Capricornids and delta
Aquarids at a mountain overlook above the Rio Grande River near White Rock,
New Mexico. After a few hours of visual observing I decided to set up the
VLF experiment. As soon as I turned on the receiver bats began to dive at
us fiercely. Prior to this they were just doing their normal flybys and all
was well. The VLF receiver itself seemed to be emitting and jamming the
bats own biological frequencies. It was quite a scene and I quickly ended
the experiment.
I intend to try these VLF experiments again someday, maybe in the open
desert, though I will try to be sensitive to the animals.
Here's a question: Are there days when a higher proportion of fireballs can
be predicted? Of course the Perseids. But any other days so as to be
efficient in this experimenting?
Tom Ashcraft--New Mexico